Rotary forging machine



Oct. 23, 1962 G. H. APPEL ROTARY FORGING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 1, 1960 Ill Ag: w m r Illl PL FIIIILIC INVENTOR.

GERHARD H. APPEL W Cwa ATTORNEYS Oct. 23, 1962 G. H. APPEL 3,059,510

ROTARY FORGING MACHINE Filed June 1, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4:

C INVENTOR.

GERHARD H. APPEL ATTORNEYS Oct. 23, 1962 G. H. APPEL 3,059,510

ROTARY FORGING MACHINE Filed June 1, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN V EN TOR.

GERHARD H. APPEL ATTORNEYS 3,059,510 ROTARY FGRGENG MACHENE Gerhard H. Appei, Belle River, Ontario, Canada, assignor to Appel Process, Ltd, Ushawa, Ontario, Canada Filed June 1, 1960, Ser. No. 33,142 12 Claims. (Cl. 78-21) This invention relates to forging machines of the type having three or more opposed tools or dies which are arranged on radii of the axis of an axially movable workpiece and which circumferentially embrace it; plus members which transmit forces to the tools Particularly does this invention relate to such members.

This invention also relates to high speed forging machine of the type stated having at least three opposed tools or dies arranged on radii of the axis of an axially movable workpiece and which circumferentially embrace it; plus, and this is the essence of the invention, transversely movable members which transmit forces to the tool. Each tool is acted upon by two oppositely acting transversely and simultaneously movable members so that the transverse components of said forces are balanced and so that only the radial components of said forces are applied by said members to said tools and through the tools applied as compressive forging forces to the workpiece.

This invention also relates to machines of the type shown in my US. Patent No. 2,986,051 of May 30, 1961, differing therefrom in that rotors or rotating rings, instead of push rod types of drivers, are used as the members for moving the dies inwardly.

This invention also relates to machines of the type shown in prior US. Patents 2,331,477 and 815,844; differing therefrom in that a plurality of rotating rings, one behind the other, instead of one ring, are used as the members for moving the dies inwardly.

My US. Patent 2,986,051, shows a machine wherein there are four forging tools or dies arranged circumferentially around a workpiece on radii of the axis of the workpiece. The dies are actuated by cams or V blocks having V-shaped faces and which cooperate with rollers and backing blocks of a housing. The V blocks or cams are the members which move the dies inwardly. They are on the ends of reciprocating driving rods reciprocated by eccentrics mounted upon rotary shafts on which are pinions and rotated simultaneously by a ring gear rotated by a prime mover. It will be understood that as the prime mover rotates, it causes the ring gear to rotate, in turn rotating the pinions on the shafts to rotate these shafts and cause these shafts through their eccentrics to reciprocate the rods and thus through the action of the V blocks and cams and rollers to move the dies inwardly for forging action.

The principal point to be stressed here is that there are in my US. Patent 2,986,051 two opposite equal simultaneously acting transverse forces applied to each die by the two reciprocating members for that die, namely, the cams on the ends of the rods.

In this specification, I describe alternate arrangements for imparting two transverse opposed forces to each die in a machine of the character described; arrangements other than cams on push rods.

For an understanding of this specification, reference should be had to the appended drawings. In these drawmgs:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic end view of one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an elevation view as if on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the parts of FIGS. 1-2.

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a section view on line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

Patented Oct. 23, 1962 The drawings show means for imparting two transverse opposed forces to the die. This is by the use of cam rings or rotors, one behind the other, and arranged along the axis of the workpiece and in the plane of the dies and rotating oppositely but in synchronism. Now it happens that cam rings for moving swaging or forging dies in this general manner are old and well-known, being shown in U.S. Patents No. 815,844 and No. 2,331,477. However, What is new here is the use of a plurality of cam rings rotating in opposite directions but in synchronism so that a plurality of cams approach a die simultaneously from opposite directions and transversely and thus impart to that die transverse opposed equal simultaneous forces, with the two cams for that die being considered as oppositely acting transversely movable members whose transverse components of forces are balanced leaving only radial components of forces applied by these members to the dies.

The said U.S. Patent 815,844 shows four dies having swaging heads for swaging a workpiece. The outer ends of the dies have shoes or rollers to be engaged by cams of a rotating ring, whereby rotation of such ring causes the dies to move inwardly.

The said U.S. Patent 2,331,477 shows dies on whose outer ends are rollers engaged by rollers of a rotating ring, whereby rotation of such ring causes the dies to move inwardly on the work-piece.

Now each of these patents shows but one ring. My

invention contemplates a plurality of rings, one behind FIGS. :13

In these figures, I show four dies 10 surrounding a workpiece 11 and engaged on their outer ends by cams or rollers 12-13 journalled in rings 16-17. Ring 17 is behind ring 16, but both are in position to engage dies 10, Rings 16-17 are profiled by cams 12-13 so as to simultaneously apply to each die transverse opposed equal forces. Rings 16-17 are in planes parallel to the plane of the dies and transverse of the axis of the work piece.

Rings 16-17 are formed with gear teeth 18-19 meshing with pinions 20-21 driven by drive shafts 22-23 which rotate oppositely but in synchronism whereby rings 16-17 rotate oppositely but in synchronism.

FIGS. 4-5

axial wi-th the axis of the workpiece and which operate,

through cams -121 and roller systems R and shafts S for moving yoke shaped die movers 122 and thus dies 123. Systems (116-118-1213 and 117-119-121 are rotated in one direction by means of shaft 114.

Rotating oppositely is another system which includes shaft 115, pinion 1311, cam ring 131, and roller systems RR and shafts S, these also operating die movers 122 and dies 123.

Ring 131 is spaced between rings 118-119 and has cams 132 like cams 120-121 engaging rollers R to move the die movers 122 and the dies 123 radially.

Rings 118-119 rotate together in one direction and may be regarded as two halves of a single ring. Ring 1131 rotates oppositely. Hence we have here oppositely rotating rings or members for simultaneously subjecting 0 all of the dies to radial forces which are the net forces By providing two rings 118119 (with ring 131 between them), I balance the machine better and reduce torque, as contrasted from the case in the embodiment of FIGS. 1- 3.

Each of the four the movers 122 carries a shaft S which journals four roller bearings R and RR enabling the forces from the rings 118-11? and 131 to be distributed onto the four die movers through the rollers R and RR and the four shafts S. Rollers R are in alignment with rings 118 and 119 and operatively connect these rings to the die movers 122. Rollers RR together are in alignment with ring 131 and together transmit the forces from ring '131 to the four die movers 122.

The four yoke shaped die movers 122 with their four shafts S and sixteen rollers R, RR, and the four dies 123 are slidably mounted in slots 150 of a rotating cage 151 through which centrally passes the workpiece 152 being worked upon by the dies 123.

Now having described the embodiments shown, I refer to the claims as follows:

1. Means having at least three opposed driven members arranged on equally spaced coplanar radial axes around and transverse to a longitudinal central axis and guided for movement in such plane along such radial axes towards and away from such central axis, and including at least three pairs of drivers, one pair for each driven member, each pair comprising two aligned oppositely and simultaneously moveable drivers arranged on and guided for opposite movement transverse of the radial axis of movement of the associated driven member, with both drivers of a pair moving simultaneously towards, or :both moving simultaneously away from the radial axis, and with the at least three pairs of drivers moving identically and simultaneously; the three pairs of drivers being cams of two parallel plane cam rings rotating on the central axis, there being two such. rings in planes on opposite sides of the plane of the radial axes of movement of the driven members; these rings surrounding and overlying the outer ends of the driven members; each ring having on its inner face at least three ofsaid cams, with the two rings being rotatable oppositely identically and simultaneously on the central axis; and means to rotate said rings oppositely; with the ring cams and the outer ends of the driven members providing cooperating formations of such a nature that the opposite rotations of the rings apply opposed, equal, and simultaneous transverse force components and an inwardly directed radial force resultant to each driven member; with the parts being further so arranged that the opposed transverse force components on each driven member coming from the cams of the two rings balance out one another to apply no net transverse force components to the driven members and to leave only inwardly directed radial force resultants applied to the driven members.

2. A machine according to claim 1 wherein the cams are in the form of rollers mounted on the rings, with the rollers having surfaces exposed at the inner faces of the rings.

3. A machine having three radial dies, two adjacent parallel cam rings surrounding the dies and overlying their outer ends, cooperating formations on the outer ends of the dies and the inner faces of-the rings so constructed and arranged that opposite rotation of the rings causes inward radial movement of the dies, and means for ro- 4- tating the rings simultaneously, equally and oppositely.

4. A machine according to claim 3 wherein the formations include cams on the inner faces of the rings which cam bias the dies inwardly.

5. A machine according to claim 3 wherein one of the rings is split into two parallel sub rings, arranged with the other main ring between them.

'6. A machine having three radial dies, three adjacent parallel cam rings ABC surrounding the dies and overlying their outer ends, cooperating formations on the outer ends of the dies and the inner faces of the rings, so arranged that rotation of rings A and C together in one direction and of ring B in the opposite direction causes inward radial movement of the dies, and means for rotating rings AC and ring B, simultaneously, equally and oppositely, with ring B being between rings A and C.

7. A machine according to claim 6 wherein the formations include cams on the inner faces of the rings which cam bias the dies inwardly.

8. A machine having three radial dies, two adjacent parallel cam rings surrounding the dies and overlying their outer ends, cooperating formations on the outer ends of the dies and the inner faces of the rings so constructed and arranged that opposite rotation of the rings subjects each of the dies to two opposed, equal, self-balancing, simultaneous transverse force components and to an in wardly directed radial force resultant, with the parts being so arranged that the transverse force components balance out one another to apply no net transverse force components to the dies and to leave only inwardly directed radial force resultants applied to the dies, whereby to cause inward radial movement of the dies, and means for rotating the rings simultaneously, equally and oppositely.

9. A machine according to claim 8 wherein the forrnations include cams on the inner faces of the rings which cam bias the dies inwardly.

10. A machine according to claim 8 wherein one of the rings is split into two parallel sub rings, arranged with the other main ring between them.

11. A machine having three radial dies, three adjacent parallel cam rings ABC surrounding the dies and overlying their outer ends, cooperating formations on the outer ends of the. dies and the inner faces of the rings, so arranged that rotation of rings A and C together in one direction and of ring B in the opposite direction subjects each of the dies to two opposed, equal, self-balancing, simultaneous transverse force components and to an inwardly directed radial force resultant, with the parts being so arranged that the transverse force components balance out one another to apply no net transverse force components to the dies and to leave only inwardly directed radial force resultants applied to the dies, whereby to cause inward radial movement of the dies, and means for rotating rings A-C and ring B, simultaneously, equally and oppositely, with ring B being between rings A and C.

12. A machine according to claim 11 wherein the formations include cams on the inner faces of the rings which cam bias the dies inwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,577,303 Bohlander Dec. 4, 1951 

